When ever I watched lasik videos on YouTube, I always read comments that said Europe has better technology and everyone should wait, so they become available in north America. Does any one know what technology they are talking about?

When ever I watched lasik videos on YouTube, I always read comments that said Europe has better technology and everyone should wait, so they become available in north America. Does any one know what technology they are talking about?

I think the only laser vision correction technology used in Europe that we don't have here would be the Ivis which is an Italian made 1000Hz dual beam laser. It's not likely to be available in the U.S. anytime soon, if ever. For a number of reason, one being the slow FDA and two, it takes tons of money to get the technology introduced over here and gain any part of the market share. There is already a lot of competition between the laser manufacturers for the market share.

This is the laser, http://www.ivistechnologies.com/iRES.html It's not even available in Canada right now. Also, much of Europe is using the exact same technology we have here in the states. Who knows if it's really that much "better" then what we currently have here. It obviously has some distinct advantages, but that doesn't mean it's a God send that works miracles. You can only improve vision so much.

It's possible that some of the current laser manufacturers in the U.S. market will come out with similar or better technology, but then someday it will be obsolete. There will always be better technology down the road. You could wait if you want, but you may be waiting a long time. Maybe forever. It's not as if there's any plan in the works to introduce this technology over here.

Last edited by JPD on Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:10 am, edited 4 times in total.

Lasik laser technology is very much like computer technology. There is always something better "just around the corner". What is probably the more important question is if what available here and now is acceptably likely to get the result you want.

LasikExpert wrote:Lasik laser technology is very much like computer technology. There is always something better "just around the corner". What is probably the more important question is if what available here and now is acceptably likely to get the result you want.

Exactly. At some point in time everything will be improved and everything will become obsolete. Someday the Ivis will be obsolete. How long do you want to wait? If you're really waiting for the better technology, then you'll be waiting forever because theoretically there will always be improved technology.

Besides that, you can always improve the technology but you're still bound by the limited dynamics of the human eye. I mean, vision can only be correct so far, and there is only so much tissue to work with. In the future, and somewhat nowdays it's the human eye that will be the limiting factor and not the technology.